Knipmode magazine dress 7/2015 plus invisible zipper video tutorial

The pattern for this dress from KnipMode magazine , no affiliate,( issue 7/2015) was one of those patterns that sometimes I see and just can`t forget! I remember I was looking in the magazine two years ago and this was the only pattern I liked from that issue and I didn`t buy the magazine for just one pattern. Later I regretted but I saw my chance when KnipMode started to offer their patterns also online, as PDF patterns.
The website is only in dutch but it is pretty easy to navigate. The only downside of their PDF is that they don`t have the layering function so I had to print all the sizes. It is still much easier than tracing the pattern from , these days, very busy patterns sheets.
The same, as in the magazine, the pattern has no seam allowance (SA) included and also the hem allowance needs to be added.  For the SA I use my SA rulers, very handy when working with patterns without seam allowance.

I know that the magazine picture doesn`t show anything of the pattern, I also don`t like that belt used with this dress but once you see the technical drawing you will see why I was excited about this dress.

The dress has side panels and the princess seam that is running over the bust goes all the way to the back. Also, I love the V neck on the back.

#Pattern adjustments:

KnipMode drafts their patterns for cup B and height 172cm. I am only 169cm and I always need to make length adjustments. I made a test garment first, I almost always do a test garment, that makes the final sewing much more enjoyable :) .

•  I took 3 cm horizontally from the back and front panel( I measured 7cm from the CF down and there I took the 3cm out, and on the back at the same level as in the front, aprox.) , I had some extra fabric above the bust and on the back upper side and also the bust point of that side panel was too low, and all that extra room that was meant for the bust was too low on me. By taking the 3 cm out resolved all these problems.
• After that, I had to lower the armhole by 1 cm as it was now too tight. 
• I raised the V neck on the back by 1.5cm (5/8') to be sure that my bra band will not show.
• Next change was to make a swayback adjustment, that is a typical adjustment for me, I took 2 cm out at the CB seam blending to nothing at the side seam.
• The neckline was also a bit too high on me, so I lowered it by 1cm 
• Als I did not add any hem allowance so I can say that the dress is 3cm shorter 

In the picture above, you can see that side panel better. I really love the fit now, on the test garment, the first time I put it on, I was a bit disappointed and was thinking that it is not so nice as I expected, but actually, the bad fit was the cause. ( also being made with an old bed sheet did not help :)).

The dress is made with a polyester crepe with some stretch in it, I had to steam a few edges a few times as it was getting very easy stretched out. Very important was to staystitch the armholes and necklines 

The neckline and the armholes are finished with a bias band and all the edges are overlocked.

I love the back! Love the back neckline! The dress has an invisible zipper in the back. On the YouTube video review , starting with minute 11.20 I am demonstrating how I am inserting an invisible zipper, I always use this method, very easy and fast.

If you are checking my back for print matching....there is none!:))) I tried but that back seam was to shaped to get it right and the fabric was not cooperating so I lost interest and just cut...I did cut single layer for the back. 

The pattern has also fisheye darts but I did not have any cloth to pinch for them , the dress is already fitted enough. 

I am super happy with this dress! I waited two years to make it, whatever....I love it!

On my YouTube chanel, you can find the video review too, including the zipper tutorial.

And here is the "action" video :

Thank you for reading and watching ! Happy sewing!

Craftsy and Bluprint. My favorites and a special offer.

I love Craftsy, I have a lot of classes bought, unfortunately, I don`t have the time to watch them as much as I want. Most of the classes I have are about sewing and a few on knitting.

When I watch a class, I always like to watch it from the beginning and see what is about. It is amazing to see how every instructor has his own way of doing the same things. And that is what I love about this classes, I get to expand my knowledge and decide which method fits the projects I am making  

If I were to choose favorites classes these will be in my top:

                                           

The coat making class from Kenneth D. King . Even if I didn`t follow the class as it is, like making the coat as described; I got a lot of valuable information on coat making, like shaping the sleeve before installing, this class is a real gem. I love Kennet`s teaching style, very clear and easy to understand. Also the other classes he has on Craftsy are great , like the Jeans class , or the making designer pockets class 

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Other favorite classes and I go often back on these, when I am making pants an I try to find the best solution for the fitting problems are these:

 and

Both great, with a lot of information on fitting pants for all kind of problems!

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I also have the Patternmaking classes with Suzy Furrer as a teacher. Those are also great classes and I hope to get the time someday to make the slopers and have fun with patternmaking.

All these classes and so much more are availble on Craftsy but now they have also Craftsy unlimited, which is since yesterday Bluprint.

And that is a subscription to Craftsy to watch unlimited all the content, all the categories without any limitation. I took the plunge and took a 1-year subscription and I enjoy choosing from all the classes, I still tend to watch only sewing but there is so much to explore, knitting, quilting, painting, photography and so much more. 

To celebrate rebranding ( from Craftsy Unlimited to Bluprint) there is  special offer :

FREE 7 Day Bluprint Trial + 33% Off First 3 Months - Or - $20 Off Annual Subscription Even if you take only the 7 day trial you can get the idea of what is Craftsy/Bluprint  all about. Happy watching!  **This post contains affiliate links Disclaimer: In the name of full transparency, please be aware that this blog post contains affiliate links and any purchases made through such links will result in a small commission for me (at no extra cost for you).

French Connection dress -Patrones Magazine 385

Finally, I had the time to make a new pattern from Patrones Magazine. There are so much of them on my "to sew" list but sadly the time is not enough to make them all...I do have fabric for the most :)).

This pattern is pattern 29 -Dress French Connection from Patrones 385.

If you would like to see a small review on Patrones in general and also the video review on the dress you can see that on my YouTube Chanel here  .

In the magazine was only a flat picture of the dress, but after a bit of searching on the internet I found the actual dress, it was sold for €125. I was happy to find it because so I could see how the fit it was supposed to be. I traced (Spanish sizes, as they are in the magazine) size 38 for the shoulders, 42 for the bust and 40/42 for the waist and hips. One of the adjustments I almost always do is the shoulder length and after I measured the pattern I took 3cm out and after that, I made a muslin. I added 1 cm on each side seam to add a bit of extra room around the bust/hips/waist. Also, I took 1cm horizontally on front and back bodice, that raised the armhole by 1cm and also the waist got raised.  

The dress has princess seams that are making the pockets also. The pattern has a drawstring in the waist but I just make a casing and add elastic. For the casing, I used a thinner fabric to reduce the bulk in the waist.

The back of the dress has also a pleat, they forgot to put that on the technical drawing but I found it on the back pattern piece if I did not make the pleat the yoke would have bee too big anyway.

The dress cost me €15 :) , the buttons are from an old shirt, and I think they are a perfect match.

Because I don`t understand the Spanish instructions, I used for the popover placket and the sleeve placket, the tutorials from Liesl+co, for their Classic Shirt  , really great and super clear.

I am very happy with this dress, I worked a few days on it, every time a little bit and I think it was worth it to take the time to get the fit right.

Here below you can see the " action" video 

Thank you for stopping by, and happy sewing! 

Dress Lisette for Butterick #6567

When this pattern was brought on the market I could not wait to get my hands on it. I did buy it very fast, traced my size but then took me a few months to start on it, I don`t know why!?

I love the pockets and all those seams on the front and the back yoke. 

I made also a video review on YouTube, so if you want to see that you can find it here .

This is the first version I made, a very drapey viscose! It did sew beautifully( the picture is bad, it was windy outside, but that hem is not wonky:) but it does wrinkle pretty fast. In this version, I did not like how that front pleat is open up so I thought that a stiffer fabric will keep it better. So I made a second dress in cotton. Finally, I closed the pleat 5 cm down and I do like it better.

I also must say, that I wore this viscose version yesterday, long trip in the car, hot outside, it was perfect! I think I was too focused on that pleat while I was sewing but it is actually ok. 

Both dresses are made with the longer option and obviously the short sleeve.

In the Big4 patterns I am a size 14 , based on my measurements but based on the finished measurements I chose to make size 12. The back, over the shoulders, fits perfect but the front, at the bust area feels a bit lose. Also, I miss a bit shaping in the back, maybe I will change that in a future version. On one of my posts, someone gave me the idea of maybe adding ties on the back, that could be nice too.

The viscose version, maybe because it is so drapey it was feeling really loose so I unpicked the facing and brought the side panel seam a little bit in, it feels much better now. 

The instructions are to slip stitch the facing to the body of the dress but I just topstitched from the outside, much faster and it looks nice too.

Here you can see the dress.

I am happy with this two dresses, perfect for the summer, very easy and comfortable to wear. Also two fabric pieces out of my stash, that gives a good feeling too :))...till Wednesday when I get to go to the local market in Almere and all my destashing plans will go to the drain :))